#27

FALL/WINTER 2019/20

HIGHSNOBIETY From teenage blogging to media greatness // BECK TO BECK The success duo who literally works back2back // TAKING A TRASH LEAP Make the (fashion)world a better place // SPAZIERGANG With Sigurd Larsen to the Bauhaus location

by Frédéric Schwilden

NOT YOUR ORDINARY FASHION SNOBS!

While studying, David Fischer blogged about sneakers. This evolved into Highsnobiety, one of the most read and fastest growing street culture and lifestyle platforms in the world, with 150 employees around the globe. We have met David Fischer, founder and creative mind behind the brand, to find out how he managed to build his media imperium from scratch.

How would you explain the concept of Highsnobiety to my 92-year old grandmother?

It was even hard explaining it to my parents. It all changed in 2010 when we launched our first print magazine. Before we were a blog. I mean, not really a blog in the sense that it was about David Fischer. It was never about what David was wearing, what he was having for lunch. I just hacked blog technology to start a magazine. So, when the magazine came out in 2010 my parents just said, “oh, it’s a magazine”.

DOUBLE TROUBLE STYLES BETTER

The opening of the BECK TO BECK pop-up store in July 2018 attracted large crowds. The police were also there: “We are really pleased that you’re opening a store in the area we operate in. There are just too many people on the pavement, though. Shall we hand you some red and white barrier tape to guide those people?” Beck’s answer: “No, thank you! That just doesn’t look good!”

Successfully launching a new brand requires precisely this attitude. Why now of all times?

Uli: The launch was planned for October of last year in time for broadcasting the past season of THE VOICE. Michi was already wearing the BLINDED sweatshirt. But the complete collection hadn’t yet been finalised, so that’s why we started immediately at the next Fashion Week Berlin in July 2018.

COMING FULL CIRCLE

As Berlin is gearing up to celebrate 100 years of Bauhaus in 2019, we asked Danish architect and designer Sigurd Larsen to join us for a leisurely stroll around town, a long Spaziergang to some of the most iconic buildings and sites from the city’s “Golden Twenties”. On the trip down memory lane, we learned about his vision, his “inner feminist,” and the importance of kitsch.

It’s that moment when Sigurd Larsen isn’t even aware of that other anniversary:

“Oh, right, that’s also this year: 10 years since I came to Berlin. It’s true.”

Indeed, it’s been a decade since Larsen (*1981) arrived in the German capital, and, even though he didn’t expect to stay this long, he’s obviously left his mark on various hotspots around town: perhaps you’ve already enjoyed a coffee on one of his furniture designs, or you might have even stayed inside his award-winning hotel room concept…